The congressman's former communications director, Lauren Greene, accused him of making sexually charged comments created to gauge whether she was interested in a sexual relationship.

Rep. Blake Farenthold (R-Texas), Rep. George Holding (R-Ga.), Rep. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) and Rep. Jason Smith (R-Mo.), join other members of the House Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet Subcommittee in wearing 3D glasses while watching a demonstration of 3D technology on Capitol Hill in July 2013 in Washington, D.C. Farenthold reportedly settled a sexual harassment claim in 2014 with $84,000 with taxpayer funds.

Tune in to KXAN News at 5 pm and 6 pm for reaction and more details as this story develops. After complaining about comments Farenhold and another male staffer had made to her, Green said, she was sacked. She dropped her lawsuit after she and Farenthold came to a private settlement.

Rep. Gregg Harper, R-Miss., who is the top Republican on the House Administration Committee, told House Republicans Friday morning in a closed-door meeting that the Office of Compliance had made just one settlement for sexual harassment complaints, in the amount of $84,000 since 2012.

A joint statement drafted by the congressman and Greene, obtained by Politico but never released following the 2014 settlement, said the deal was reached to "save taxpayer dollars" from further litigation.The statement includes a denial from Farenthold over Greene's allegations, and requires all parties "deny all liability", according to Politico.

Congress Used $84000 of Taxpayer Money to Settle a Sexual Harassment Claim

Farenthold at the time called the salacious allegations "outrageous" and said they were the product of an unhappy former staffer.

The fund is not the only source of settlement payments for lawmakers accused of misconduct.

Laura Cech, spokeswoman for the OOC, said the office's current officials do not recall ever providing records of hearings or decisions to congressional ethics committees.

"While I 100% support more transparency with respect to claims against members of Congress, I can neither confirm nor deny that settlement involved my office as the Congressional Accountability Act prohibits me from answering that question", Farenthold said in a statement.

It was already known that some $17 million in settlements have been paid by the Congressional office that handles workplace complaints, the Office of Compliance.

More than 230 killed at Sinai mosque in Egypt
If you enjoyed reading this article, support our independent journalism by sharing it on social media . The public prosecutors' office said in a statement 235 people had been killed and 109 more wounded.

U.S. sanctions 13 Chinese and North Korean organisations
The soldier was shot several times by fellow North Korean soldiers as he fled across the border to South Korea on November 13. The defector falls stretched out and unmoving in a pile of leaves against a small wall on the South Korean side.

Univ. of OR graduate students join National WalkoutDec 01, 2017 - 04:37
He said the bill is meant to "pay for tax cuts, or rather a redistribution of wealth, to the wealthiest parts of the population". The language in the House tax bill dictates that these tuition waivers would be taxable, counting the assistance as income.

Trump has no plans to campaign for Moore in AlabamaNov 28, 2017 - 00:28
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump return to the White House Sunday after a spending five days in Florida. In a Real Clear Politics poll from November 9-20, Jones led Moore by less than 1 percentage point.

Falcons WR Julio Jones dominates BuccaneersNov 27, 2017 - 00:25
With Freeman out most of the game against Dallas in Week 10, Coleman ran for 83 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries. And the pressure up front was non-existent until rookie Takk McKinley came up with a key sack late.

UCLA names Chip Kelly new head football coachNov 26, 2017 - 00:22
Florida has moved on from Chip Kelly as its potential next head coach, multiple sources have told Yahoo Sports. Kelly will be formally introduced to the UCLA community and to media on campus Monday afternoon.

Tencent secures exclusive rights for PUBG in ChinaNov 24, 2017 - 00:24
In terms of the partnership on PUBG Corporation's side, it couldn't have found a better partner to work with in China. Tencent has also promised that it is reworking the game specifically for the Chinese audience.

US Navy aircraft crashes into sea off Japan, 11 aboardNov 23, 2017 - 00:16
The Japan-based United States 7th Fleet said in a statement that a search and rescue operation had been launched from the carrier. The aircraft was headed to the USA aircraft carrier the USS Ronald Reagan , which is deployed to the Philippine Sea.